BEHIND THE WHEEL: Creative Pinellas’ new director Mitzi Gordon with one of the cars appearing in CARMADA: Art’s Mobile Fleet in downtown Tampa this weekend. Credit: LUIS GOTTARDI/ART TACO

St. Petersburg’s annual Shine Mural Festival is back for its eighth year starting Oct. 14, and 2022’s festivities include some very colorful cars.

Carmada is coming to downtown St. Pete with an artful family-friendly event to kick off the 10-day festival.

The Carmada Street Carnival will display painted cars, a live car painting from this year’s featured artist Nneka Jones and more activities, officially kicking off the mural festival.

The Carmada Street Carnival will take place Sunday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Childs Park, located at 4301 13th Ave. S in St. Petersburg.
Carmada partners with artists, nonprofits and municipalities to produce vibrant art-on-wheels displays. At the art car Street Carnival, guests will have the chance to see several art-covered cars, enjoy free mini-car crafts and hands-on activities with the NOMAD art bus, draw on the Tampa Chalk Car, visit the community corner featuring neighborhood organizations and even more outdoor fun.

Shine St. Pete Mural Festival takes place Oct. 14-23 in St. Pete. The internationally recognized street art event will unveil 17 new murals in downtown St. Pete and neighboring art districts.